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Bellingthe dogsand walkingthroughour covertsis thestarl. of somethingspecial.Bird hunting aint all that it's crackedup to be; it's much, much more. As schoolkids count down the daysuntil summer vacation, bird hunters count down the days until our seasonsbegin. Reloadingshells is a great way to kill a few long winter days. Well make surethat weve got enough 1 ounce #9'sin 20-gauge
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to get us througheventhe worststringof missesthat we've ever encountered.Then well load a few more to passaround to our friends who havent yet tried them. If we dont havetime to reload,then we'll order a coupleof flats of our favoriteshellsfrom an ammunition company.The nice thing about making a call like that is we usuallyengagein conversationwith a fellow bird hunter.If you don t know what
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I mean, then try having a meaningful conversationwith someoneat the end of the phone line when you order some kitchen glassesor a new pair of pants. Dog work is a year-round endeavor. Like us,bird hunting runs in their blood. After the seasonendswdll give our dogs
a well-earnedbreak.But when mud season draws to a close we 1l start conditioning programs.\A4retherits running through coverts,field trialing, or roading them behind a 4-wheeler - were looking to help shakeoff their extrawinter weight. Training seminars are great
for dogsthat havepicked up bad habits that seemimpossibleto break.We pour through dog supply company catalogs and magazinesfor replacementgear,for new products,and for tips and tricks. Opening Day, ;trtititrtt,,l ,,a lrt1t 10
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On a hot summerdaywe'll placeour waxed cotton jackets,vests,and chaps in the direct sun and let them heat up to perfection.\A4rile we'rewaiting we'Il boil a can of reproofing in a pot of water. When the wax is soft and fluid we'll buff the fabric to a nice finish. Well-worn areasget extra attention,and while we'reat it, it's also a greattime to waterproof our boots. Some time around the middle of August we ll seea new developmentin our own routines, and it's oftentimes a reduction of food. To our family's surprise we passon the extra helping of dry-rub ribs and limit the number of scoopsof ice creamat a backyardbarbecue. Add, or increase,exerciseprogramsand by the time opening day rolls around hopefully we'll more closelyresemblea running back than the Pillsbury Dough Boy. Dropping a few pounds and getting strong means only one thing: we can hunt longer without fatigue. Fine-tuningour reflexescomesbypopping caps at the skeet, trap, and sporting clays courses.Exceptfor the first few rounds where we miss a bunch of gimmes, breaking clay is far more fun than pull-ups. After a round or two our reflexescome back. Shootins is like riding a bicycle,and in no time flat were back on track. When backyardsongbirdsflush from the bird bath in a left-to-right flight pattern we sometimesswing our empty hands to our cheeks.My family used to chuckle when they hear me say, "bang" but they understand.They're evenstarting to do it, too. My first day in the woods is always in Canada in midSeptember,and on that day time standsstill. I dont sleepmuch the night before, and I awakewithout an alarm clock. A day without bird hunting is a gloomy day indeed,but on opening day the sky is the limit. I wonder how the dogs will work, if there are birds in my favorite coverts,ifthe new covertsare as good as they look. Dogs alwaysseemto know that difference between opening day and generalfield work. They know it's their turn to shine,and they willingly rise to the challenge. It's been a long time sinceI missedan opening day.Indian summer rules the roost on most opening days, and the best part is during the morning or later in the afternoon. Midday temperaturesare often hot, and when combined with high humidity eventhe fittest huntersbog down. Dogs that normally shy awayfrom water flop down in any stream,seep,pond, or mud hole. |ust before I complain about the heat, I think about my quail hunting friends down south and my pheasanthunting compadresout west. They know what heat is all about more
As schoolkids count dor,unthe daysuntil summervacation,bird hunters count down the days begin. until our seasons
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than me, but that doesnt stop them from getting in a few licks. Tropical storms or hurricanes sometimes drop tremendous amountsof water,downed trees,or silt in the coverts.I ve never seena first frost before opening day,and the woods are chockablockwith foliage.I'll only get a glimpseof a flushing grouseas my friends and I break up a brood from the spring.Youngofthe year arenot aswily asthe elder statesmen,but the leavesand the branches keep us from getting off many quality shots. Woodcock are a bit more predictable,and if we move our shotgun through the tree tops after the bird has disappearedwe'll drop enough birds to make the dogs happy. I ve never come closeto filling a bag limit on opening day.Come to think of it, I ve never much cared. Opening day is about something quite different. It's about the tremendousfeeling of possibility.It's the start of a magical season,one full of hope, opportunity, and certainly redemption. We trade in work clothesfor brush pants and boots. There are no offices where we go, just coverts and fields. Meetings with colleaguesare replacedby a day spent with family and friends. The lunch room is no longer on the secondfloor; it'sby the river or on the tailgateof a muddy truck loadedwith dog boxes.Folks might be latefor meetings,but they'reneverlatefor openingday. And its comingup.Like you,I can hardlywait.i